Loose leaf binder



W. GRAMACY May 27, 1958 LOOSE LEAF BINDER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 6, 1956 INVENTOR MAL/4M Gxm/wncy j ATTORNEYS y 27, 1958 w. GRAMACY 2,836,182

- I LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed June 6, 1956 3 Sheefns-Sheet 3 INVENTOR MLL/ATM Gre /woe Y ATTO R N EYS @W W, gym

United States Patent LOOSE LEAF BINDER William Gramacy, New York, N. Y., assignor to Slaves Mechanical Binding (10., Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 6, 1956, Serial No. 589,523 6 Claims. c1. 12s s This invention has to do with loose leaf binders of the type having telescoping back sections to accommodate various numbers of sheets of paper which are held in place on the usuai binder posts.

An object of the invention is to produce such a binder which can be most conveniently adjusted and wherein the back sections can be readily separated for removal and insertion of sheets.

Another object is to provide a binder wherein the telescoping control mechanism and the catch which governs complete separation of the back sections is controlled by a single control element which is readily accessible and can be operated with one hand.

Still further object is to produce a compact unitary structure wherein moving parts are housed to prevent engagement with the sheets or an operators fingers.

The following is a description of my invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a loose leaf binder with sheets in place therein;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the back sections of a binder in separated position;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a transfer bar;

Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective partial view of the back sections showing various elements disassembled but in juxtaposition one to the other;

Fig. 5 is a partial plan view partly in section of the back sections;

Fig. 6 is a section through 6-6 of'Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a partial plan view partly in section of the back sections in extended position;

Fig. 8 is a section through 8-8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a partial plan view partly in section showing the clutch in released position;

Fig. 10 is a section through 101G of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a partial side view partly in section of the back section which carries the clutch, catch and operating lever;

Fig. 12 is a section through 1212 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a partial sectional view of the clutch mechanism in gripping position;

Fig. 14 is a partial sectional view of the clutch mecha- I nism in released position; 1

Fig. 15 is a section through 1515 of Fig. 14;

Fig. 16 is a perspective view showing the use of the transfer bar illustrated in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 17 is another perspective view showing the use of the transfer bar illustrated in Fig. 3 and wherein the sheets of paper and the bar have been separated from the back section of the binder.

Looking at the'drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates a loose leaf binder of the class herein described. The front cover is shown at 1 and the rear cover at 2. The sheets of paper enclosed in the binder are shown at S, the telescoping back sections are shown at 3 and the control lever at 4.

The back sections comprise a clutch-carrying section 5 and a pin-carrying section 6. Each of these is made up of two walls right angularly disposed to each other. Back section'5 has side wall 7 and back wall 8 and back section 6 is made up of back wall 9 and side wall 10. These sec tions are designed to telescope together and when in their closed or partially closed position back wall 9 of section 6 overlays the back wall 8 of section 5, as indicated in Figs. 5 and 6, for instance. The back section 6 may be termed the post-carrying section and the back section 5 the clutch-carrying section. The former has four posts 15, 16, 17 and 13 adapted to receive perforated sheets of paper. Posts 15 and 16 are of substantially the same diameter as the perforated holes in the sheets. Posts 17 and 18 are of smaller diameter so that they may be used with a transfer bar such as that shown in Fig. 3. Such a bar is used to conveniently handle a stack of sheets either in putting them into place in the hinder or removing them.

Transfer bar 20 is made up of a fiat bar 21 to which are attached hollow posts 22 and 23 spaced so as to cooperate with posts 17 and 18. When a stack of sheets is to be removed from back section 6, the transfer bar is positioned on the posts 17 and 18 so that the hollow posts 22 and 23 embrace the solid posts 17 and 18 and then the back section 6 is turned over as shown in Fig. 17 and the sheets thereon may be removed on the transfer bar without separating the sheets.

Back section 6 also carries a clutch pin 25 secured to the side wall 19 and projecting in the same direction as the posts 15, 16, 17 and 18. The pin 25 is covered by a U- shaped housing 26. Adjacent to the pin and arranged parallel thereto is a slotted member 27 which carries the elongated slot 28. Slotted member 27 is covered by a suitable extension of housing 26 as shown at 29.

On the clutch-carrying back section 5 there is arranged on the side wall 7 a supporting housing 30 which carries the clutch member 31 which is designed to receive the pin 25' to'releasably and slidably engage the two telescoping back sections together. Clutch member 31 is a ball type one-way clutch which is generally well known in the art, as disclosed by United States Letters Patent Nos. 1,632,249 and 1,869,790. The clutch member (Figs. 7, 13, 14 and 15) consists of a hollow tubular casing 32 secured at one end to the supporting housing 30 and projecting from one wall thereof toward the pin member 25 when the back sections 5 and 6 are in telescoping position. The outer end of casing 32 is equipped with an internal tapered wall portion 33 and inside of the casing 32 there is disposed a hollow tubular ball-carrying member 34 which is designed to move longitudinally in the casing 32 a limited distance and is urged by spring 36 (Fig. 7) in the direction of the outer or unsupported end of the casing 32. This member 34 projects outwardly from the fixed or supported end of the casing 32 through the housing 36, as shown at 37 in Figs. 7 and 9.

Near the other end of the member 34 three ball-retaining recesses 38, 39 and 40 (Fig. 15) carry three balls 41, 42 and 43. These recesses are of such dimensions that the balls may not pass through them toward the axial center space of the member 34 but may move outwardly from the recesses toward the member 32. As the member 34 is pressed outwardly (downwardly as seen in Figs. 13 and 14) by the spring 36, the balls engage the tapered surface 33 and are pressed inwardly toward the axis of the member 34. When the member 34 is moved in the opposite direction, that is, in the direction of the housing 39 and the side wall 7, the balls may move outwardly away from the axes of the member 34. This clutch is designed to cooperate with the pin 25 and in normal operation when the pin 25 is insertedthrough the member 32 and into the interior of the member 34, the spring 36 urges the balls 41, 42 and 43 into engagement with the pin 25 to hold the same against withdrawal. However, when the member 34 is moved against the spring 36 in the direction of the side wall 7, the balls release their grip and the pin le er 4 w ch e tends ong the s de-W 1 or t e back eet n'fi' o he i ini of hcc tch m mbe 3 wardly to the outer edge or the outer end of the back.

secti n ere m y be d y e a d by n opr tort A a point nea the n e d of. ever 35 t cmhraces the .endj37 of the member 34. As shown in Figs. 7, 9 and .1, th inner n f ever' t .of th lutch. mem: ber projects a short distance to the left. A simple cotter pin 45 IQQKS 16 lever ,4 on the end of member 34 and the spring 36 urging the member 34 toward the outer or un uppo ed end o he clutc member 31 holds the lever? firmly ag i t e insides all of the housing 59.

as seen in 7. This is the normal position of the lever 4. and when in t is posi ion the balls 41 42 d are designed-to grip the pin so as to prevent separation of the two secti ns- The operating lever 4 has attached thereto catch arm 41 which eXtends'outWarcll-y from the lever generally pa allel to the ,clutch member 3.1 and at one side thereof, 7 s seen in P It is preferably made of fiat spring steel and a the outer end thereof. there is a downwardly projecting locking pin 48 (see Figs. 11 and 12). This pin 48 is designed to slide in elongated slot 28..

On'the left end of housing 30, as seen in Fig. 4, there is a pair of vertically communicating slots 50 and 51 through which, the lever 4 passes as it reaches from'thev clutch mechanism to, the end or outeredge of the telescoping sections (see Fig. 2). The longer slot v5(l is adjacent to the side wall 7 as shown in Fig. 6. The shorter slot 51 is just a little bit longer than the width of the lever 4 whereas the longer slot 50 .is about one and a half times as long as the width ofthelever 4. The

' spring 36 normally urges the lever 4 into the position shown in Fig. 6 where it occupies the shorter slot 51 and where it cannot be raised or lowered toward or away from the back wall 8 of the section 5. However, it may be moved toward and awayfrom the side wall 7 by moving it from the shorter slot 51to the longer slot 50. Such movement causes the lever .to pivot'about its left end, 'as viewed in Figs. 5.to 10. This movement of the lever 4v controls the clutch member 31 so that it will embrace or release the cooperating pin 25. During such move.-

ment of the lever 4 the spring catch arm 47 will move through a shortv are from. the position shown in Fig. 7 to. that shown in Fig. 9 but the ,slot 28 is wide enough to accommodate this motion. After the lever 4 is'moved into. the position shown in Fig. 9, the lever 4 may be i raised in a direction parallel to the side Wall '7 within the confines of the, long slot 50. This will lift the catch arm 47, as shown in Figs. 11 and 12, thus removing pin 48 out of the slot 28 to permit complete disengagement of the telescoping back sections of the binder.

It will be seen from this construction that by merely pressing the lever 4 from the position shown in full lines in Figs. Sand 7 to the position shown in Fig. 9 the ball type one-Way clutch may lac-disengaged so that the telescoping back sections may slide freely away from each other but only as far as the catch arm 47 will permit. They cannot be completely disengaged because the pin 48 will catch in the end of the slot 28. If it is desired to completely disengage the sections, it is then only necessary to lift the outer end of the lever 4 in a direc tion parallel to the side wall so that it moves up in the slot 50. This will disengage the pin 48 from the slot 28 thus permitting complete disengagement 'of the two back sections.

numerous details at the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of of the invention as defined by the claims.

I claim: a

l. A loose leaf binder having a pair of telescoping back sections, each section comprising a back and side portion, binder posts on at least; one 'of said sections, a one-way ball clutch on one section and a cooperating clutch post on the opopsite section adapted to entersaid clutch and be engaged thereby and a catch comprising a 7 member on one section and an interengageable member on the other section and adapted to permitlimited relative movement between said telescoping back sections when said members are in engaging position relative to each other and complete disengagement of said sections when said catch members-are disengaged, a control lever extending from a point adjacent said clutch to a point 7 ne r one end i the bac sec on said ever being loo ely pi oted 9111 sa d clutch and apabl QI'mOVGDlQHt to w rd a d away fr m the bac s'pcr icn Q.' h. ..S6 .i 11lit is mounted on and also capable of motion toward and ay rom t e si e por ion of s id ec io means f tt ching; said l ver to sa d c ut h and one catch membe s ha m ement of; said le er towar an y from the side of'said section is adapted to selectively op rate sai clu ch o. e ease or hold said cooperat g l h p st nd so ha mo em nt tow d a d away.

fr m the b ck of id section is a apted to e e v ly r le se d' as o e atch ember f o th -oth catch member in the opposite section to permit complete diseng em nt f ne back se tion fromthe other.

A e; leaf bin er having a pair of telescoping back sections, each section comprising .a back and side P rt n, binder post .on at le st. one ofsaid sections, a one-way ball clutch "011 -one section anda cooperating clutch post on'the opposite section adapted to enter said clutch and be engaged thereby andpa catch comprising 21 slot-on one section and a cooperating pin on the other section and adapted to'permit limited relative movementv between said telescoping back sections; when said .pin is in engaging position relative, to said slot and complete disengagement of said sections :when said pin is disenv gaged from said slot, a control lever extending from said clutch toa point near. one end :of the back sections, said lever being loosely pivoted on said clutch andcapablc of movement toward and away from the back portion of the section it'is mounted on and also capable "of motion toward and away from the sidepor-tion of said section, means for attaching said lever to said clutch and the pin portion of said catch so that movement of said lever toward and away from the side of said section is 7 adapted to selectively operate said clutchto r clease orhold said cooperating clutch post and so that movement toward the back of said'section is adapted to release said pin from said slot in the opposite section to permit complete disengagement of one back section'from the other. 7 V 3. A loose leaf binder having a pair of telescoping back sections, each section comprising aback and side portion, binder posts on at least one of said sections, a

on the other section and adapted to permitlimited relative movement between said telescoping back sections when said pin is in engaging position relative to said slot and complete disengagement of said sections when said pin is disengaged from said slot, :1 control lever, extending from said clutch to a point near one end of the back sections, said lever being loosely pivoted on said clutch intermediate the ends of said lever and capable of movement toward and away from the back portion of the section it is mounted on andalso. capable of motion toward and away from the side portion of said section, means aaeenea for attaching said lever to the pin of said catch at a point on said lever adjacent said clutch but intermediate the point of connection of said lever and clutch and the end of said lever adjacent the ends of said back sections so that movement of said lever toward and away from the side or" said section is adapted to selectively operate said clutch to release or hold said cooperating clutch post and so that movement away from the back of said section is adapted to release said pin from said slot in the opposite section to permit complete disengagement of one back section from the other.

4. A loose leaf binder having a pair of telescoping back sections, each section comprising a back and side portion, binder posts on at least one of said sections, a one-way ball clutch on one section and a cooperating clutch post on the opposite section adapted to enter'said clutch and be engaged thereby and a catch comprising interengageable parts, one on one section and one on the other section, and adapted to permit limited relative movement between said telescoping back sections when one catch part is in engaging position relative to the other part and complete disengagement of said sections when said parts are disengaged, a control lever extending from said clutch to a point near one end of the back sections, said lever being loosely pivoted on the control member of said clutch and capable of movement toward and away from the back portion of the section it is mounted on and also capable of motion toward and away from the side portion of said section, means for attaching said lever intermediate the ends thereof to said clutch and catch so that movement of said lever toward and away from the side of said section is adapted to selectively operate said clutch to release or hold said cooperating clutch post and so that movement away from the back of said section is adapted to release said interengageable parts of said catch to permit complete disengagement of one back section from the other.

5. A loose leaf binder having a pair of telescoping back sections, each section comprising a back and side portion, binder posts on at least one of said sections, a one-way ball clutch on one section and a cooperating clutch post on the opposite section adapted to enter said clutch and be engaged thereby and a catch comprising interengageable parts, one on one section and one on the other section and adapted to permit limited relative movement between said telescoping back sections when one catch part is in engaging position relative to the other part and complete disengagement of said sections when said parts are disengaged, a control lever extending from said clutch to a point near one end of the back sections, said lever being loosely pivoted on the control member of said clutch intermediate the ends thereof and capable of movement toward and away from the back portion of the section it is mounted on and also capable of motion toward and away from the side portion of said section, means for attaching said lever to said clutch and for attaching it to one portion of said catch between the connection of said lever to said clutch and the end of said lever adjacent the ends of said sections so that movement of said lever toward and away from the side of said sectioh is adapted to selectively operate said clutch to release or hold said cooperating clutch post and so that movement away from the back of said section is adapted to release said catch to permit complete disengagement of one back section from the other.

A loose leaf binder having a pair of telescoping back sections, each section comprising a back and side portion, binder posts on at least one of said sections, a one-way ball clutch on one section and a cooperating clutch post on the opposite section adapted to enter said clutch and be engaged thereby and a catch comprising a slot on one section and a cooperating pin on the other section and adapted to permit limited relative movement between said telescoping back sections when said pin is in engaging position relative to said slot and complete disengagement of said sections when said pin is disengaged from said slot, a control lever extending from said clutch to a point near one end of the back sections, said lever being loosely pivoted on said clutch intermediate the ends thereof and capable of movement toward and away from the back portion of the section it is mounted on and also capable of motion toward and away from the side portion of said section, means for attaching said lever to said clutch and to the pin portion of said catch at a point intermediate the connection of said lever to said clutch and the end of said lever adjacent the ends of said sections so that movement of said lever toward and away from the side of said section is adapted to selectively operate said clutch to release or hold said cooperating clutch post and so that movement away from the back of said section is adapted to release said pin from said slot in the opposite section to permit complete disengagement of one back section from the other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,055,937 Lotter Sept. 29, 1936 2,167,685 Scherzinger Aug. 1, 1939 2,286,060 Buenger et al. June 9, 1942 2,553,886 Vevier May 22, 1951 2,659,373 Schroer Nov. 17, 1953 2,726,659 Runbald Dec. 13, 1955 

